Pensively Staring
by SpirituallyBeautiful
Summary: Hermione sees something in the intensively private Professor that sets her thinking ... Rating set for future chapters. Constructive Criticism Welcome, but no hate please, only my 2nd attempt at writing.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione sat staring into the fire pensively. What to do? She should forget it, it was none of her business, but now, well now, she'd never forget.

She thought back to that fateful day.

"No Neville!" "Not yet, you need to stir counter clockwise 3 times then add the leaves" whispered Hermione, whilst looking anxiously over her shoulder towards the front of the classroom. If she was caught again helping Neville, she shuddered to think of the punishment Professor Snape would conjure up for her.

But as she glanced over her shoulder she saw, well not was she was expecting to be quite honest. She expected to be pinned under the infamous scowl surely patented by Professor Snape, followed very shortly with the words Mr Filch, Wandless, Scraping and detention, but probably not in that order. But no she saw hurt, vulnerability, tiredness, human all in a split second. She spun around and continued to finish her potion, whilst her brain spun and spun, and thought and thought.

"Time's up", thundered Professor Snape. "Clear your workstations and leave your completed potion in the tray, what in seven hades of hell is that?" sneered the professor, glaring down at Neville.

"Pepper up potion, sir" murmured Neville pinned under the scowl of Professor Snape.

"Its patently not Mr Longbottom, seems your making your own version of potions again, detention with Mr. Filch, and another zero for today, now leave and quickly" thundered the enraged professor.

Swinging around to scowl in Hermione's direction, "And what are you staring at Miss. Granger?"

"Nothing Sir", squeaked Hermione whilst beating a hasty retreat.

Shutting the curtains swiftly around her bed before Lavender could badger her; Hermione got her homework out, but didn't start writing ferociously as she would normally. "What could that look have meant"? She thought to herself. Obviously Professor Snape wasn't the cold man everyone thought he was; anyone with half a brain would know that, the man wasn't a machine. He had a lot on his plate, teaching, Head of Slytherin and a spy for the order, it was as sure as the sun setting in the sky that he would be stressed and tired. But the vulnerability and pain she had seen was a totally different thing.

She thought back to the last order meeting, it had come as a bit of a shock when Dumbledore had arrived as dinner was being served to state he needed a word with Harry, Ron and she.

After shutting the door to the library Dumbledore had quietly asked if they had thought of becoming members of the order. Well obviously they had, but though that you had to wait until your 17th birthday. Which Hermione had already celebrated the week before?

"I thought you had to be 17 professor" Hermione asked puzzled but not a little excited.

"Under normal circumstances you do, Hermione", professor Dumbledore replied. "But I'm sensing that Harry and Ron here" smiled Dumbledore in the boys direction "Wouldn't take to kindly to you being inducted and not them, and I dare say you would have been inclined to keep them informed of all order business anyway, hmm?" Twinkled Dumbledore at Hermione.

Hermione did have the presence of mind not to answer the implied question, just blushed and looked at the boys.

After the meeting had concluded with Dumbledore things had moved very fast, he informed all gathered for dinner, to which surprisingly there was little resistance, even from Molly, who looked upset but seemed to understand the time had come. Dumbledore joined them dinner and the conversation turned to the meeting happening shortly.

"Is Tonks coming to the meeting" inquired Remus, not seeing the wry smile Molly gave Minerva. "Yes I believe so Remus" replied Dumbledore. "Everyone is, as far as I know".

"Great that means Snivellus is too" chimed in Sirius looking glum.

"Now Padfoot" Remus smiled, "play nice, remember last time".

"Humph" replied Sirius "I wasn't paying attention, he got lucky"

"If you say so" smiled Remus.

"What happened?" asked Harry.

"Let's just say Sirius lost" laughed Moody as he stomped in to the room.

"Hey, I did not, Severus just can't take a joke, that's all" protested Sirius, "Anyway I would like to forget that particular hour thanks" he frowned.

"Professor Snape did not take too kindly to Sirius putting a cheer up potion into his tea" Dumbledore replied to all who were sitting looking puzzled at the table.

"He didn't stop beaming for over an hour" laughed Sirius "It was brilliant"

"How did he find out it was you?" Harry asked his godfather.

"Well", Sirius replied rubbing the back of his neck as the other order members tried to stop laughing, "I forgot the bottle was in my pocket and when I took off my dressing gown to have a shower it must of fell out, and of course Severus had to be the one to go in the shower after me" he complained.

"What happened, what did he do to you" asked Ron eagerly.

"Well I may or may not have had Green sparkly hair for an hour" frowned Sirius at the memory.

"That ….that" gasped Minerva "sang who let the dogs out over and over again" before bursting into more giggles, quickly followed by everyone at the table.

As Tonks shut the door to the meeting it became apparent some of the order members were not aware of Hermione, Harry and Ron being inducted that night, and caused quite a stir, most surprisingly from Professor Snape himself.

"Why on earth are these children being inducted?" spat professor Snape.

"With all due respect Professor I'm of age now and we haven't really been children since the 3rd year, we have a right to be included in the order" reasoned Hermione, Harry, Ron, Molly, Dumbledore and others staring slightly surprised that it was Hermione that replied.

"With all due respect Granger, you may be of age in years but emotionally are you really saying you can handle being in the order, it's not all sitting around reading reference books" sneered the irate professor glaring at Hermione.

"Of course it's not" replied Hermione hotly, glaring back at the professor.


	2. Chapter 2

"Severus, please sit down, the decision has been made and unanimously agreed" replied Dumbledore as he sat at the Weasley's humungous dining table. "Yes Snivellus do sit down, your glaring is putting me off my tea" goaded Sirius.

Hermione chanced a glance at the irate professor as she too took her seat at the table.

"Hmmmph" grumped the professor as he took the seat furthest from anyone, causing an eye roll from most seated at the table.

"Well now that's been sorted, I suggest we get on with the order meeting", smiled Dumbledore. "Any news from the werewolves Remus?"

"Not really", sighed the previous Defence against the dark arts teacher. "Most have gone into hiding, and the others, well let's just say they have made their feelings quite clear as to whom they are supporting" Remus smiled sadly.

"Yes well, we must keep trying, many will form their opinion as times darken. Has anyone had any thoughts on how to contact the fairies?" Dumbledore asked as he looked around the gathering.

"Fairies?" Gasped Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes. "For a "pure blood" Ronald you really are untutored in the magical world. Fairies are known to walk amongst us in the magical world and also in the muggle world. But they are incredibly secretive, and no one knows where they are located or indeed how to make contact with them. If a fairy wants something or someone they will make contact and you are sworn to secrecy. Did you know that they also have some of the most exotic ….."

"Miss Granger! Please refrain in boring us all to death with your incredible insightfulness into the fairy world, if we wanted to know all about fairies we could pick up Magical Beasts & where to find them ourselves" thundered Professor Snape, glaring down his nose. "Unless you know a secret passageway into the forbidden world, or have a fairy willing to talk to us in the pocket of the dreadful cardigan you keep wearing I suggest you let us move on".

Blushing deeply Hermione glared back at the angry professor. "I'll have you know Professor Snape", Hermione shouted back slowly leaning across the dining table, "my mother knitted me this cardigan from the finest of wool, and it keeps me bloody warm. What is your excuse for wearing those dreadfully dreary robes you waft about in day and night!"

"Why you insufferable!"

"Severus please sit down, Hermione dear please take a seat" sighed Dumbledore. "Really Severus you should know not to insult a ladies apparel, and Miss Granger please bear in mind that although you are now a member of the order and this isn't school it would be wise to be polite to Severus, his disposition does not change no matter what setting he is in" twinkled Dumbledore.

"Yes sorry Headmaster" Hermione replied retaking her seat to stare at the angry Professor, who stared back with a raised eyebrow as if to say you really didn't expect an apology from me did you?

Sighing Hermione looked back to the centre of the table. "What have we considered in relation to the fairies?" "Nothing much to be honest Hermione, we really don't know much about them. Maybe your skill in researching would come in handy here" answered Remus.

"Yes Miss Granger, do you think you would have time to start looking into this for us?" asked Dumbledore

"Of course Headmaster it would be my pleasure" Hermione replied whilst smirking at the Potions Professor, "See Professor my insufferableness comes in handy from time to time".

Professor Snape having risen from his seat glared hotly down from his considerable height replied "let's see if you find anything first shall we Miss Granger, bragging is not an admirable character trait, but it seems you have still yet to learn this" Sweeping out of the room.

Silence followed the irate Potions Professor as he left the room, followed ever so slowly by the muffled laughter of Ron and Harry.

Rising from her seat Hermione left the room to the sound of muffled sniggering. Walking with as much dignity as she could muster after her "dressing down" Hermione climbed the stairs.

"Bloody man!" Hermione muttered as she stomped up to her temporary bedroom in the Weasley household. "Is everything ok Hermione?" asked Ginny as she banged into their shared room and flopped down on to her bed, face first.

"Oh yes everything is just peachy Ginny, I've talked myself into an impossible task of finding out all about fairies, including how to contact them, all to impress someone who let's face it despises me".

"Ron doesn't despise you 'H', where did you get that idea?"

"Ron?" "Where on earth did you get Ron from?" Hermione asked twisting around on the bed to stare at Ginny.

"You were talking about impressing someone… I thought, well I thought you meant Ron, although I am relieved you aren't, you two would make a terrible couple" laughed Ginny also flopping back on her bed, letting go of the complicated plait she had been attempting.

"No Ginny, not Ron, someone impossible, someone improbable and someone unattainable" groaned Hermione.

I saw something in his eyes, something to make me think I hadn't been wrong all this time believing him, giving him the benefit of the doubt, but; no the first time we actually meet as adults he's horrible and merciless to me" whispered Hermione.

"Oh 'H'" Ginny replied rising and climbing onto Hermione's bed to pull the obviously upset girl into a hug. "If I think it's who I'm thinking of, your mad, bloody mad, chuckled Ginny.

"Who" sniffed Hermione, "Who do you think it is?" peering up at Ginny, Hermione held her breath, she'd never told a soul of her fascination for the brooding professor, she'd never even wrote it down for fear of someone finding her most forbidden thoughts and ridiculing her for them. Thinking back to that look in his eyes, she'd thought becoming a member of the order would open up another avenue for her to explore in reaching out to the Professor, a way in which she could become Hermione, not a Miss Granger the student. She'd researched relationships in the vast Hogwarts library between students and teachers in the dusty library, seated quietly in her favourite corner. No one ever disturbed her whilst they assumed she was revising and although not forbidden, there were only a handful of times relationships had happened. Thinking back to that discovery she remembered the smile growing on her face, the warm feeling in her chest that no! It wasn't as bad as she thought; there was a slight chance for them, for her.

But now waiting for Ginny to reply, Hermine held her breath.


End file.
